Collar tab supports



June 18, 1957 B. L. MGKINNON r 2,795,794

COLLAR TAB SUPPORTS Filed 001;. 15, 1954 '1 I5 I t I6 30 |8 5 32 '0 N M L wm COLLAR TAB SUPPORTS Bain L. McKinnon, Seattle, Wash.

Application October 15, 1954, Serial No. 462,425

4 Claims. (Cl. 2-132) :Ihis present invention relates to the general class of devices that have been provided to support the points or tabs of a mans collar so as to preserve the original appearance of the shirt for long periods. More specifically, this invention consists of a support member, which is used in pairs, one for each collar tab. The devices, which are not connected together directly when in use, are provided with :a tongue-like latch member which is engaged over the necktie and this serves as the principal position ing means for the supporter. A relatively wide upper margin is provided for the supporter so that it engages in the crease formed by turning over the collar in its normal position of wearing and this abutment of the upper surface of the supporter and :the collar crease gives the additional support and positioning means so that the device will at all times be held in its desired position for use.

The increased prevalence of collar-attached shirts has brought .out the desirability of providing means that will insure the longest possible undistorted wearing period for the collar. In use, the average collar attached to a shirt is normally held quite definitely in position at the crease where the collar is turned over, by the neckband of the shirt which admits .of ready stiffening or reinforce ment. The extreme points of the collar tabs normally come to rest near the collar bone of the wearer so this gives the tab support at its upper margin and at its lower point; however, intermediate support is normally lacking, and as a result the collar tends to conform to the actual shape of the wearers neck, and, particularly, the juncture between the neck and the torso. As this juncture takes an obtuse angle which approaches a right angle, the usual result of an unsupported collar is that it is depressed inwardly and this entirely destroys the neat tailored appearance that the shirt had when it was first put on by the wearer.

A large number of different approaches have been made to solve this problem. In many instances, the shirt collars are starched. This is not generally desired by the wearer, however, as they become uncomfortable. Many of :the other devices have for their purpose the supporting of the entire collar. This may be 'a reinforcement or stiffening built in to the collar itself, or it may take on the shape of a framework in the form of a b and or the like which again is very objectionable as it normally interferes with the snug fitting of the necktie. A more common expedient is to employ celluloid or metal strips that extend from the upper fold .to the tip of the collar point. Retaining slots for these are normally provided between the two layers of material making up the shirt collar and are provided with an opening, for the insertion of the reinforcing member, which takes on the general form of a b-uttonhole in its finishing. Such devices tend to keep the point of the collar from curling up, but there is little inclination for the collar point to curl up if it cannot be depressed inwardly throughout its intermediate section. This very common expedient falls very far short of providing a correction for the basic fault which is preventatent ing the intermediate portion of the collar tab from bending inwardly toward the body. In my invention I have provided a definite backing for this intermediate portion but in distinction to many devices observed, my device is engaged only on the necktie as a supporting member, is positioned by the fold of the necktie against angular displacement, and does very effectively prevent the inward crushing of the collar without in any way being secured to the collar tab and thus making it look like a mechanically-held tab. It is therefore believed that a very worthwhile contribution has been made in this field of endeavor.

The principal object of this present invention is to produce, very cheaply, a device which will adequately support the tabs or points of the collar of collar-attached shirts so that their neat tailored .conditionvvill be maintained over long periods of use.

A further object of my invention is to provide :a backing plate for the points of soft shirt collars which Will insure against their crushing inwardly, but which device is not itself secured in any way to the point of the collar.

A further object of [this invention is to provide a collarsupporting device which is secured and supported from the necktie and which is given position by the crease of the collar, but which does not provide any notable stretching or positioning of the collar point which so often causes a very artificial appearance in a supported collar.

A further object of this invention is to provide a collarsupporting device which lends itself :to very economicial manufacture so that the same may be sold at a very reasonable price.

Further objects, advantages and capabilities will be apparent from the description and disclosure in the drawings, or may be comprehended or are inherent in the device.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view of a shirt collar in association with a wearer and illustrating the positioning of my collair-supporting devices, the same being. shown in dashed ines;

Figure 2 is a view somewhat similar and taken in the same sense as Figure l, but with one of the collar tabs turned back to show the positioning of one of my devices on the necktie of the wearer;

Figure 3 is a front view in elevation of one of my collar-supporting devices;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the plane of line 44' of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the device of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of my collar-supporting device shown at an angle so as to better illustrate the construction thereof; and

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 of Figure 3.

Referring more particularly to the disclosure in the drawings, the numeral 10 designates the main frame of my device in its preferred form as illustrated throughout the accompanying drawings. The general shape of this frame is that of a. truncated triangle of inverted form. This gives the relatively Wide portion 12 which engages the fold of the collar, and thus gives angular security to the device when in use, and the side opposite base 12 is the shortened offapex-portion 14. This is very desirable rather than having the same come to a point, in that the tongue member 15 can thus be given sufficient width to give security and stability in engagement with the necktie key. The tapering sides, 16 and 18, complete the frame. These are preferably beveled sufficiently as shown so as to enable the placement of the base portion 12 close to the side margins 20 and 22 of the collar, and then with the slanting sides, the device conforms to the slant of the margins so that it will normally be fully covered by the collar tab.

Tongue is arranged to support the device from necktie T and to position the device to a large degree. A- preferred cross-sectional form of tongue 15 is illustrated in Figure 4 in which an inwardly directed portion 25 is provided, then the angularly disposed downwardly slanting portion 27, and finally an outwardly extending portion 29 having a curved end 30. This outwardly extending portion 29 gives a large measure of security to the device in that it is positioned below the neckband of the necktie. It is to be noted that the combined length of portions 25, 27, and 29 is considerably greater than the length of opening 32 which is formed within frame 10. This desirable construction indicates quite clearly that it would be difficult to have this device in its preferred form if the same were die struck from a piece of sheet material. Consequently the device is apparently best made by molding the same from plastic material.

It will be noted from Figures 4, 5, and 6, that my detu'ce is formed as a plane curved on a horizontal axis. It has been found that the degree of this curvature should be appreciably more than the normal curvature of the collar itself as this tends to place the margins 16 and 18 snugly against the collar band and forms a definite base for the device in use so that it will definitely hold the collar tab out in the optimum position. It is for this same general reason that tongue 15 has the angularly disposed portion 27. This portion normally also rests against the neckband of the collar and insures that the lower portion, as the bar 14 of the device, will extend outwardly considerably from the neckband and thus the collar tab is definitely supported throughout its intermediate portion, which is the portion that normally crushes inwardly and destroys the tailored appearance of a collar. There is a further distinct advantage in having the outwardly bent portion 29 of tongue 15 because it has been found most convenient in wearing these devices to snap them on to the neckband of the necktie which is made easier by the curved end 30. They then go into place with the necktie and require only slight lateral adjustment to position them as desired with respect to the collar margins 20 and 22. Likewise, when the necktie is removed, the support devices adhere to the necktie and will retain their position on the neckband portion even through the necktie is hung up on the usual tie rack but are easily removed at will. Experience has indicated that when the device is struck from sheet materials without portion 29 that the device will not adhere to the necktie. It should be apparent, however, that if this desirable feature is sacrificed, the device could be made from sheet material, and while in use, actually the portion resting on the upper margin of the necktie band would prevent the downward displacement of the device, and the relatively wide base 12 would give it angular security and positioning after the showing of Figures 1 and 2.

It is believed that it will be clearly apparent from the above description and the disclosure in the drawings that the invention comprehends a novel construction of collar tab supports.

Having thus disclosed the invention, I claim:

1. A collar tab support, comprising: an upright molded plate having in face view the shape of an inverted truncated triangle, said plate being curved slightly horizontally to outwardly bow the central portion of the plate, said plate having symmetrically disposed therein and spaced from its edges an opening having the shape in face view of an inverted truncated triangle, the proportion of the upper base to the lower apex edge of the opening being smaller than the proportion of the upper base to 4 the lower apexv edge of the plate whereby the side margins of the plate from said opening to the side edges are downwardly tapered; a tapered tongue ofiset inwardly from the plane of said plate and depending from the upper base edge of said opening in a first short portion extending normally inward and then extending downwardly and slightly inwardly in a long portion and terminating in a short terminal end portion outwardly and downwardly extending generally toward the lower apex edge of said opening and terminating at a level close to the level of said opening lower apex edge, whereby said tongue is adapted to clamp a tie neckband, under a collar tab, against the rear face of said plate, the length of the tongue along its axis being greater than the height of that opening.

2. A collar tab backing support, comprising: an upright plate having generally the shape of an inverted truncated triangle, said plate having symmetrically disposed therein and spaced from its edges an opening generally the shape of an inverted truncated triangle; an integral tongue offset inwardly from the plane of said plate and depending from the upper base edge of said opening and extending sharply inward in a first short portion and then extending downwardly and slightly inwardly in a long portion and terminating in a short terminal end portion outwardly and downwardly extending generally toward the lower. apex edge of said opening, whereby said tongue is adapted to clasp a tie neckband against the rear face of said plate positioning the plate in supporting relationship to a collar tab.

3. A collar tab backing support, comprising: an upright molded plate having in face view substantially the shape of an inverted truncated triangle, said plate being curved slightly horizontally to outwardly bow the central portion of the plate, said plate having disposed therein a large opening; an integral tongue offset inwardly from the plane of said plate and depending from the upper edge of said opening and extending sharply inward in a first short portion and then extending downwardly and slightly inwardly in a long portion and. terminating in a short terminal end portion outwardly and downwardly extending, whereby said tongue is adapted to clasp a tie neckband against the rear face of said plate in position to support a collar tab, the length of the tongue along its axis being greater than the height of that opening.

4. A collar tab support secured to a tie neckband and supporting a collar tab, comprising: an upright plate having generally the shape of an inverted truncated triangle, said plate having symmetrically disposed therein and spaced from its edges an opening generally the shape of an inverted truncated triangle; an integral tongue offset inward of said plate and depending from the upper base edge of said opening and extending sharply inward in a References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 893,692 Zier July 21, 1908 1,316,577 lnderrieden Sept. 23, 1919 1,537,115 Hofstetter May 12, 1.925 1,654,756 Ryan Jan. 3, 1928 FOREIGN PATENTS 4,045 Great Britain Feb. 17, 1914 

